In Fates Hands
by HeartsANDnaley
Summary: Two seperate people, two seperate lives, brought together by Fate to save them from themselves. NH AU
1. Prologue

**AN: So I will be completely honest. I have no clue where I plan on taking this story. I was cleaning my room and found this old folder and inside were the beginnings to a couple of stories I don't even remember writing, this being one of them. So, bear with me on this one, the updates may take longer than usual…if you can believe they could possibly get any longer between updates. But hopefully, you all are intrigued by the story, enough to patiently wait for me to update. This chapter is pretty short since it is the prologue and when I write the next chapter it should be longer. I guess I have rambled on long enough. Without further word from me, here is the prologue. Read, Review, Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill or the song lyrics used in this prologue.**

**In Fates Hands**

**Prologue**

The campus of Duke University was unusually empty, the normal loud hordes of people surprisingly absent. Every now and then, when the wind was strong enough to carry sound, voices could be heard but as soon as the wind was gone, the voices vanished too. The university was on spring break and everyone, except for a few students, had gone home to spend the holidays with their families.

He was one of those students who had stayed behind, not once regretting his decision to be alone. He sat underneath a large oak tree, blocking out his surroundings, and staring intently at the heavy, wooden double doors across the quad. Suddenly, the doors swung open and he looked away, unable to watch his past. A group of fifteen guys, maybe less, stood around the doorway, talking loudly and inadvertently catching the attention of the few students left on campus. He looked back at them, remembering what it was like, what _he_ was like. He used to be the one that demanded attention, but not anymore.

He sat alone, thinking of his life and how it had gotten to this point. There were so many things that could have affected this and yet not even _one_ could he himself have done. It had been out of his hands since the day he was born and there was no way to stop it, only a way to slow it down. If only he had stopped before he had gotten too attached. If he hadn't been so attached, so involved, it wouldn't have hurt as much when it was so suddenly ripped away from him. He might have even been okay with it. He might have even found something else. But now, it was just too late…

As he looked in on his past and watched the guys around the door, he noticed the lines on the wooden door from years of use and was surprised at this. Surprised that the maintenance workers of the university had allowed the doors of the great Cameron Indoor Stadium, to become so worn looking. Those doors represented the Duke Basketball legacy, well, the once Duke Basketball legacy. The basketball program was still intact, although not what it used to be nor as great as it used to be. Mostly because they had lost their will and their spirit. Duke Basketball had lost the heart of their program, as the students so called it. Like the voices in the wind, the legacy was gone, and it was most likely gone for good; vanished.

Nathan Scott stood up from the ground where he previously sat, and quietly, attracting no attention like he used to, walked away from those heavy wooden doors and his past. No one noticed as he made his way to his dorm, not once looking back at the quad behind him.

* * *

_Spending all your money_

_Ain't it funny how the time goes by?_

_First you start believing _

_Then you're leaving for no reason_

_And you're wondering why_

_So till the morning breaks_

_Go and make your mistakes_

_Don't be surprised if your head hurts_

_Life is for the living, the forgiven, and for leaving town alive._

The soft, soothing sounds of an acoustic guitar along with an equally soft and soothing voice, floated through the open window from the old, brick house. The house was set at the end of the block, the window facing the sidewalk outside. People passing by were able to hear the talented young musician play and would stop for a moment or two to soak in the lyrics of the song. But the moment would pass and the people would leave, no longer preoccupied with the calm melodies, but instead thinking about their own lives.

The wind flowed in through the open window and the music stopped. The young blonde who had been playing the guitar set it gently on its stand and scribbled quickly into her notebook. She had to write down her thoughts, the sudden inspiration, before it was gone. Finished with the notebook, she closed it and placed it underneath the many other books on her beside table. The plain, blue notebook lost in the clutter of the table, hidden.

She stood up slowly, stretching her muscles that had become strained from hunching over her guitar and notebook all afternoon and looked around the room. It looked the same as it had when she left. The light blue, painted walls were covered by assorted posters of plays she had seen and bands she had liked. A silver framed mirror hung alongside the 'Les Miserables' poster and she stared into it, studying the reflection that looked back at her.

"Nothing special." She mused, silently to herself. Her blonde hair hung loosely down past her shoulders in long waves, curling under at the ends. She squinted her eyes in the mirror, wishing she had a more memorable eye color. She wished she had any color but the brown eyes she had. "Maybe green." She said out loud, then shook her head when she realized she was speaking to herself. Moving on next to her skin, she even surprised herself. She liked her skin, she had no complaints. Her skin was like porcelain, untainted. She took one last lingering look in the mirror before turning on her heel and walking out of the door.

Haley James walked out of her childhood bedroom and past the mourners that had congregated in her living room. No one paid her much attention as she quietly slipped through the front door in her knee length, black dress. Haley James walked out of the door and through the wooden gate at the front of the neatly groomed yard, not once looking back at the house behind her.

* * *

At that moment, they are no longer two separate people going down two separate paths. They are two halves that Fate picked to make one. They are destined to be together, to find each other. Fate chose them for a specific reason. They are going to save each other from themselves. They are going to live again and they are going to do it together. Fate has plans for them, and it won't be long before Time and Fate join forces and these two halves find their missing pieces, and become whole again. Fate has been set into motion. Their lives are in Fates hands.

* * *

**AN: The song lyrics in the prologue (italicized) are from the song 'Leaving Town Alive' by Bethany Joy Lenz.**


	2. Chapter 1

**AN: Hey everyone! So last time in the story I told you all that I was not sure what direction I was going to be taking with this story and I am still not all that sure. Even though I am not sure on the direction I am taking, I still feel that this story will be a fun one to write. Also, I know I am not close to finishing my other stories, but I have a new idea and I will post the summary at the bottom of this chapter. So if you all could say what you think about my idea when you review, that would be fantastic. Well I should stop rambling and let you all read the story. Enjoy!**

**In Fates Hands**

**Chapter 1. **

The road in front of her was dusty and deserted. It was in between a clear lake and a deep, dense forest. Neither looked like they would offer any kind of shelter from the horror that had become her life. The lake was too happy; she could feel the waves of happiness coming off the lake. She wasn't in the mood for that. And the woods…well they didn't look too appealing either. She had never been a fan of the woods. She could never tell what was lurking around the corner or behind a tree. It was full of surprises and as of lately, she had had one surprise too many.

Haley took a precautionary step forward, opting to pass both the lake and the forest. Her eyes scanned her surroundings and still came up empty for a place to be in peace. Releasing a long, drawn out sigh, she dropped down on the dirt road, watching as the reddish dust flowed up around her. Her eyes were drawn to the dust that had landed on the skirt of her black dress. It used to be her favorite dress but now, she didn't even bother with brushing off the dust. There was no point anymore. Why should she care if he wasn't there to care for her? She had no one.

From her spot on the ground, in the middle of the dusty road, she could see the road fade away. The distance she was looking made the road seem hazy and just an illusion. The road began to blur and it wasn't until she felt the wetness drop down onto her hands that she realized that she was the one who was causing the road to blur. It dawned on her that this was the first time she had cried since he had died. And despite crying being a sign of vulnerability, something she hated, she had to admit that this almost made her feel…okay.

* * *

"Shit." That was the only thing Nathan Scott could think at a time like this. He had planned on taking a short walk around campus to clear his mind but that short walk had turned into a long one off campus. And now, he had no clue where he was.

He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and craned his neck in all directions before letting out another curse. This was absolutely hopeless. How was he supposed to find his way back if there was no one in this god forsaken town he had wandered into? Nathan knew that he should have been more alert when he left but it never crossed his mind that he would be stranded. Against his better judgment, he turned onto the old road beside him and planned on following it till the end. If he was going to get lost then he was going to do it his way.

The road he was on now looked even more abandoned then the ones he had been walking down previously. It seemed like it had maybe once been an okay place but now it seemed like a forgotten memory. It made him think about his own life. The road symbolized him post-basketball. Once strong and necessary but now forgotten and looked upon when needed for selfish purposes. He still could not believe where his life was at and he knew it would take a long while for him to ever be the same person he used to be. Actually, he didn't know if he would ever be the same person and he wasn't sure how he should take that.

Nathan looked around him and noticed the trees on either side of him becoming sparse on one side and through the thin covering of trees he could see the shining of a lake. As walked further in he started to have a strange feeling about the place. He felt as if this would become an important place to him but he wasn't sure why. It looked like any other old road and nothing else except for that gut feeling told him that it wasn't just an ordinary road. He stood still and scanned the road in front of him. It even looked ordinary but there was something about it.

Nathan had almost given up on his search when he spotted it. In the middle of the road was a black, piece of _something._ From the distance, he could not tell what it was. For a second he feared it would be a dead animal and as much as he liked to play tough guy, when it came to animals he really wasn't. His fears, however, were gone when he approached the mysterious object. He took a close look and saw that it was not a dead animal but a dress. A dusty, black dress.

He took a cautious look around him before leaning forward to pick up the light fabric. He held it in both hands and noticed how delicate it was. It was small and except for the dust from the ground, it was well taken care of. Nathan went to set the dress back on the ground when it him. If there was a dress in the middle of the road, where was the person who had originally been wearing the dress?

Nathan was not sure what to think. First, he had an odd feeling about the road and then he finds an abandoned dress in the middle of the road. Unless he had walked into an alternate universe, people did not just mysteriously vanish from their clothing. Taking a closer look around him, his eyes searched for the woman who had been wearing the dress. He could not come up with an explanation. It was just bizarre.

And all of a sudden it came to him. The lake. Carrying the dress with him, he walked to the small, sandy edge beside the lake and realized he had been right. Just a few feet from where he was standing he saw a plain white bra and matching panties. Nathan was completely confused now. Who stripped down in the middle of the day to go swimming in a public place? He stepped nearer to the lake and looked across.

There was nothing but trees and a small cabin across the way. Surely the woman who had stripped down had not swum across the lake to the cabin. He was about to call out and see if she was still out there when he saw a pale figure emerge from the blue water. Her blonde hair hung in wet waves, cascading down her back and across her shoulders. From what he could see, her hair was long enough to cover her naked breasts and for a split second he felt like a voyeur. But as soon as that thought entered his mind, he quickly dismissed it.

She swam closer to the shore and was almost waist high when she spotted Nathan. He saw her lips part and he could hear the startled gasp she let out. He hadn't meant to scare her. He just wanted to make sure that she was okay. He took one more step to the edge, as close as he could without getting wet himself. He watched her hesitate for a moment and then saw the determination fill her eyes.

As she came closer to the shore, and the water level became shallower, her naked body was revealed to him. Nathan stood transfixed as he saw this stranger expose herself completely and even though he swore this was a dream come true, he couldn't help but notice the sadness that lay in her eyes. He became nervous as he watched and he told himself that this was all happening for a reason. He had gotten lost for a reason and it was to find her. He promised himself that he was going to take away the sadness in her.

His mystery woman took the final step out of the lake and stood only inches away from him. Nathan could feel the heat from her body and he knew that he had to make a decision. He looked into her eyes and saw the deepest brown eyes he had ever seen. Her eyes were dark brown, the color of chocolate, and mixed with tiny flecks of gold around the iris. He could feel himself being drawn in.

Nathan slowly slipped off the jacket he was wearing, not once taking his eyes off of hers. He saw the sadness be replaced by confusion for a moment, but then it was back. The jacket came off easily and he gently wrapped it around her shoulders. He held it there until her small hands came up to take over. There was the briefest contact between their hands but they both felt it. He needed to know.

"Are you okay?" Nathan questioned her softly, hoping to preserve the stillness of the moment.

Haley wasn't exactly sure how to answer that.

* * *

**AN: So that was the first chapter. I enjoyed writing it and I hope you all enjoyed reading it. I know it was a little short but the chapters will get longer when I am further into the story. So like I said earlier, I am posting the summary for my new story idea and I hope you all will leave feedback for both the chapter and my new idea. Thanks!**

**Flawed Perfection**

**Haley James had permanent residency atop the high school hierarchy, a halo, and **_**almost**_** everything she ever wanted.**

**I know it is a short summary but I want to leave it a surprise. But it basically follows the 'Poor little rich girl' scenario. Hope it sounds interesting!**


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: I was inspired to write today. Although, I don't normally get inspiration so this update may just be based off of lack of sleep and boredom. Either way, you all get an update so win-win for you. I'll make it clear that this story is not planned out and I pretty much type what I feel like. I have no direction for this story and I can't really make any promises other than Nathan and Haley will be together. And it will most likely be without any third-party "cheating" drama since I really like my happy endings. Anyway, this note is long enough so on with the chapter. Read and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill.**

**In Fates Hands**

**Chapter 2**

This wasn't awkward or anything. Sarcasm noted. Haley did not understand how she was able to get herself into these kinds of positions. She was naked, in front of a total stranger and was about to cry her eyes out because he gave her his sweater and asked if she was okay. It wouldn't be so bad if there wasn't nudity but she was at least thankful that this guys sweater was big enough to cover her. He might have seen it all already but that did not mean she was going to let him have a free show. Haley was not the kind of girl to parade around naked, but she also was not the kind of girl to go skinny dipping in the middle of the day. It seemed to her that this day was full of surprises.

Shocking even herself, Haley spoke out. "What is your name?" She didn't know why she did it. She really wasn't in the best mood and meeting new people really wasn't her thing. But again, she really was not herself today.

"Nathan Scott. And by the way, I have your dress." He held up the rolled up, dusty material, showing her that he did indeed have her dress.

Nathan watched as her slim fingers gripped the material. He couldn't help but notice the difference between their hands. Hers were small, smooth and thin whereas his were large and rough. Actually, Nathan had noticed that everything about this mysterious woman was small, smooth and thin. Maybe a bit too thin in his opinion but what did he know. He had barely even seen a naked woman in the past couple of months. Maybe this was "in"

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he watched her walk over to the discarded bra and panty set that had been thrown on the sand. Without being asked, he turned around, giving her privacy to put her clothes her back on. He tried to focus on anything other than the fact that there was a partially dressed woman behind him. He might not have been himself lately but he was normal enough to have male urges. The time seemed to slow down around him and Nathan waited impatiently for her to finish dressing. He felt a light touch on the back of his shoulder and turned to find her dressed and holding out his now slightly damp sweatshirt. Nathan took hold of it and let it drape over his arm, his full attention back on the woman in front of him.

"You know, I still don't know your name. I mean, I've seen you naked and you know my name. I think it is only fair that I know yours." He had to fight back the eye roll he felt on-coming. This was his first step back into the world of women and flirting and he was severely out of practice. Nathan wouldn't blame her if she turned right back around and walked away from him.

"So just because you have seen me naked, you think it grants you the right to now my name? How do I know you aren't a serial killer who preys on innocent girls?" Haley could feel herself almost having fun. This was the closest to sarcasm she had gotten in a while and it felt like catching up with an old friend.

Haley bit down on her bottom lip while watching the man, this Nathan Scott. She had to admit that he was definitely attractive. Even those who never went for the slightly dangerous, tall, dark, and handsome type would be drawn to this man. His short, dark brown hair was shaved close to his head, making his strong jaw more pronounced against his tan skin. And in the middle of it all were the most hypnotizing blue eyes she had ever seen. They weren't normal blue. They were deep and bright all at the same time and Haley knew they meant trouble.

Haley was still staring at him, trying to figure him out when he finally answered her. "If I was a serial killer do you really think that I would have let you borrow my sweater? Or give you your dress back and turned around to give you privacy while you were changing?" Nathan spoke with a joking tone and waited for her reaction. He would play along with her game if it meant that she would be smiling.

"Well I don't know. Maybe that's your M.O. You stalk a girl, wait for her to go skinny dipping, pretend to be nice to her and then when she least expects it, BAM!" Haley made a sweeping motion with her hands before clapping them loudly together. "You hit her over the head and push her into the water. It is completely diabolical and perfectly safe for you because if someone is skinny dipping they are all alone. No people around equals no witnesses equals no jail time for you."

"Wow, yeah, I confess. You caught me. My name is Nathan Scott and I am number one on Americas Most Wanted. I am impressed though. You even figured out how I kill 'em too. Hit them and push them into the water. I guess the nickname is fitting. The cops out in Vegas called me 'The Splasher.' Guess my run is over now. You going to call the cops or should I make a break for it now?"

"You know, there is no need for you to be so sarcastic about it. Sarcasm is kind of my thing." Haley gave him a small smile, letting him know that she was just messing with him. If she was being completely honest with herself, she actually enjoyed their banter.

"Really? Sarcasm is kind of my thing too. But I guess I can share." Nathan had caught on to the teasing grin she was sending his way and figured it was safe to keep joking around with her. "Well, I mean I can share as long as you don't mind sharing with a serial killer."

"I suppose I can share, and I made up my mind. You're not a serial killer. If you were one, I would have sensed something." Haley had never been very good when talking to strangers and much like past conversations she had, this one reached the lull that always seemed to come upon her. She debated whether or not she should just stop this act now and walk away, but something about this boy was telling her to stay. And even though she did not really want to listen to her inner voice, she did. It looked like it was just Haley and Nathan on the old abandoned road.

Nathan had noticed the break in their banter but instead of coming up with a solution, he stayed quiet, not wanting to scare her off. Nathan was not the kind of guy who had girls as just friends; in fact he wasn't one to have many friends at all. But something about this girl was telling him to stay, telling him to take his time and she would let him in. Oddly enough, as pretty as she was, Nathan was not thinking about sleeping with her. He was just thinking about healing her. He did not want to see the sadness and pain in her eyes.

Nathan knew what it was like to be filled with sadness and pain and he learned the hard way that he needed to let people in. Bottling everything up almost cost him his life and no one wanted to go out that way. He knew that her life would spin out of control if she didn't talk to anyone. Maybe, if he stayed around, she would choose him to save her. Nathan wasn't even sure what was hurting her, but whatever it was, he just wanted to help her.

Nathan looked into Haley's deep brown eyes and made a promise to himself and to he. He would do anything for this girl he just met. Nathan Scott promised to help Haley James free herself of the pain, and maybe free himself as well.


End file.
